The Riot

On the way back to the castle, as the king's party rides up the Hook at the foot of Aegon's High Hill, a woman walks out of the crowd with a dead baby and blocks the way. Sansa Stark encourages the king to win the people by throwing the woman some gold, but the woman ignores the coins as they fall around her and continues to hold the baby before her. Someone throws dung at the king, hitting him squarely in the face. Incensed, Joffrey demands the culprit and sends Sandor Clegane after them. This angers the crowd and shouted curses shower down on the party, further inflaming the situation. The crowd begins to move in and soon the party is surrounded and has to fight their way out. When Sandor is unhorsed and vanishes in the crowd, Ser Mandon Moore abandons Sansa to protect Joffrey.[1]

Even after the king is safely within the walls of the Red Keep, the riot continues. Flea Bottom is set afire.[1] A goldsmith is killed for having a full larder while the city starves, and his manse is burned down.[3] Queen Regent Cersei Lannister orders Ser Boros Blount and Ser Meryn Trant to search for Sansa, but the girl is soon returned to the castle by a wounded Sandor, who chopped off the arm of a man who tried to pull Sansa from her saddle.[1]

Aftermath

Nine gold cloaks are killed and over forty are wounded. However, the smallfolk pay for their attack. By night-time, the fires are out and most of the mobs disperse. There is no improvement in the welfare of the general populace and now a curfew is set in place so that anyone found in the streets after dark is to be killed. Tyrek Lannister remains missing. Lollys has a son, who is subsequently named Tyrion Tanner. Tyrion Lannister has a new High Septon named, and Ser Balon Swann fills Preston Greenfield's place in the Kingsguard.[1]

Ser Jaime Lannister later notes that Varys was not present to see Myrcella off to Dorne, thereby avoiding the riot. He wonders if Varys had agents abduct Tyrek during the riot due to the fact that Tyrek squired for King Robert I Baratheon.[4]